Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the differences between chiplets and soft IP, emphasizing that while both can accelerate time-to-market, they serve different needs and come with distinct challenges in design, integration, and testing [2][20]. Group 1: Chiplet vs Soft IP - Chiplets can be seen as a new type of semiconductor IP, but they differ significantly from the current IP licensing ecosystem, particularly in design integration and verification [2][20]. - Chiplets can be either custom-designed or off-the-shelf, with two camps emerging: one that designs its own chiplets and another that sources components externally [2][20]. - The market for chiplets will coexist with custom chips, with many IP modules becoming off-the-shelf chips that system vendors can mix and match [2][20]. Group 2: Customization and Functionality - The key difference between chiplets and soft IP lies in their customizability; soft IP offers high configurability, while chiplets have fixed functionalities [6][20]. - Chiplets require careful management of startup processes and debugging, which are less of a concern with soft IP [6][20]. - The physical integration of chiplets presents unique challenges, such as managing signal integrity and power distribution, which are not as critical in soft IP [24][20]. Group 3: Testing and Supply Chain - Testing chiplets is more complex than testing soft IP, as chiplets are typically tested independently by suppliers, requiring integration into the overall system testing process [20][20]. - The supply chain for chiplets is more traditional and complex, closely tied to manufacturing nodes and foundries, which increases dependency on suppliers [20][20]. - Built-in self-test (BiST) technology is expected to become more prevalent to address the transparency issues associated with chiplets [22][20]. Group 4: Security and Integration Challenges - Security considerations for chiplets are more challenging than for soft IP, as chiplets have a larger attack surface due to their interconnections and shared resources [20][20]. - Each chip in a multi-chip system must coordinate its security measures, which can lead to inefficiencies if not managed properly [20][20]. - The physical design of chiplets must account for thermal management and signal integrity, requiring advanced modeling tools that go beyond those used for soft IP [24][20].